From hearty soups to protein-rich mains and refreshing salads, these healthy Iftar recipes are perfect for gathering, reflecting, and nourishing the body after a day of fasting. Choosing balanced meals helps restore energy while keeping digestion light and steady. Made with fresh ingredients, simple cooking methods, and natural flavors, these dishes provide comfort without feeling heavy.
Hashweh - Lebanese Beef and Rice
Hashweh is a lightly spiced delicious Lebanese dish made with seasoned minced beef, fluffy rice, and toasted pine nuts. This comforting one-pot meal is easy to prepare yet full of warm, aromatic spices that bring out the richness of the meat. It is traditionally served as a hearty main dish or as a stuffing for vegetables, poultry, or lamb.
To learn more: Hashweh - Lebanese Ground Beef and Rice
Hummus
Hummus Dip is a Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern spread made with chickpeas and tahini, then seasoned with lemon, garlic, and cumin. You can serve it with Greek Pita Bread, Homemade Wheat Tortilla Bread, or Garlic Naan (Indian Flatbread) as well as some colorful crudités (sliced vegetables), Extra Crispy Halloumi Fries, or Lebanese Falafel balls as an appetizer.
To learn more: Mediterranean Hummus Dip
Rice Stuffed Chicken
This delicious Rice Stuffed Chicken is a great dish for festive dinners and small gatherings or as an alternative to traditional Roast turkey. It is a special way to roast a chicken, and definitely feels like a treat! Making this scrumptious stuffed roast chicken is surprisingly easy and straightforward.
To learn more: Rice Stuffed Chicken
Red Lentil Soup
Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi in Turkish) is a light, nutritious, and comforting soup made with red lentils, vegetables, spices, and stock.
This extremely delicious & creamy soup is super easy to make, and ready in just 30 minutes, perfect dish for Iftar dinner!
To learn more: Turkish Red Lentil Soup - Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi
Turkish Rice Pilaf
Turkish Rice Pilaf with orzo (Sehriyeli Pilav in Turkish) has been a staple food and has always enjoyed a special status in Turkey for centuries. It is a great side to accompany many Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean dishes.
To learn more: Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav)
Hunkar Begendi
Hünkar Beğendi (or Sultan's Delight) is an authentic Turkish lamb and aubergine recipe dating back a few hundred years. This delightful dish is made of succulent lamb stew served on smokey and cheesy aubergine purée. It is a very easy dish to put together yet has a luxurious feeling to it when you put the first bite in your mouth.
To learn more: Hünkar Beğendi (or Sultan's Delight)
Tabboule
This Taboule Recipe (Lebanese Tabouli Salad) is a refreshing and healthy Middle Eastern salad made with fresh parsley, tomatoes, and bulgur. It is full of flavor, color, and nutrition and is extremely easy to make with just a handful of ingredients.
To learn more: Taboule (Lebanese Tabouli Salad)
Lamb and Chickpea Stew
Turkish Lamb Stew with Chickpeas (a.k.a Nohut Yahni or Chickpea Soup) is a traditional Turkish dish made with diced lamb, chickpeas, and pearl onions.
It is an easy, one-pot dish and great comfort food, especially for cold winter days.
To learn more: Turkish Lamb Stew with Chickpeas
Muhallebi
Muhallebi (or Mahalabia / Muhallabieh/Mouhalabieh) Dessert is a light, creamy, and delicious milk pudding that's popular throughout Turkey and the Middle East.
This popular Muhallebi dessert recipe only requires 5 ingredients and comes together in just 20 minutes.
To learn more: Muhallebi - Mahalabia Dessert
Semolina Halva
Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva) is a traditional dessert widely popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. This delicious pudding is enriched with butter & pine nuts and then soaked in hot syrup.
What makes this Turkish Semolina Halva dessert recipe so special is that it is extremely easy to make and can be prepared with a few ingredients.
To learn more: Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva)
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